Every spring the fire department’s vigilance concerning the hazardous vegetation in the Los Angeles area is heightened; notices are sent to homeowners warning them of their requirement to comply with fire code regulations, to reduce fuel load reduction, and to expect inspections to begin around the first of May or June, depending upon the city.

We clear hillsides of hazardous vegetation and have done so for many years. We are familiar with many of the fire departments and inspectors personally and keep up to date on the changes in the fire department’s, California Fair Plan, and private insurance company’s’ requirements in each area, especially in the areas designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones.

Clean Up

General clean-up occurs at all sites. In addition, at all our worksites we do excellent clean up with blowers, rakes, and chipper trucks.

Wood Chips

Sometimes a customer will ask for the chips for mulching and we can accommodate that also.

1. Starvation: Good pruning practices rarely remove more than 1⁄4 to 1/3 of the tree’s crown, which in turn does not seriously interfere with the tree’s leafy crown to manufacture food. Topping removes so much of the crown that it upsets an older tree’s well-developed crown-to-root ratio and temporarily cuts off its food-making ability.

2. Shock: A tree’s crown is like an umbrella that shields much of the tree from the direct rays of the sun. By suddenly removing this protection, the remaining bark tissue is so exposed that scalding may result. There may also be a dramatic effect on neighboring trees and shrubs. If these thrive in shade and the shade is removed, poor health or death may result.

3. Insect and Disease: The large stubs of a topped tree have a difficult time forming callus tissue. The terminal location of these cuts, as well as their large diameter, prevent the tree’s chemically based natural defense system from doing its job. The stubs are highly vulnerable to insect invasion and the spores of decaying fungi. If decay is already present in the limbs, opening the limb will speed the spread of the disease.

4. Weak Limbs: At best, the wood of a new limb that sprouts after a larger limb has had its top cut off is more weakly attached than a limb that develops normally. If rot exists or develops at the severed end of the limb, the weight of the sprout makes a bad situation even worse.

5. Rapid New Growth: The goal of topping is usually to control the height and spread of a tree. Actually, it has just the opposite effect. The resulting sprouts (often called water sprouts) are far more numerous than normal new growth and they elongate so rapidly that the tree returns to its original height in a very short time – and with a far more dense and dangerous re-growth pattern.

6. Tree Death: Some species of trees are less tolerant to topping than others. Beeches, for example, do not sprout readily after severe pruning and the reduced foliage many times leads to the death of the tree. This type of response is also very typical of many conifers, leading to death from insect attacks. Mulberry trees on the other hand are specimens, which can withstand heavy topping. Some mulberries are topped annually by their owners. However, many tree varieties cannot recover from severe topping practices.

7. Ugliness: A topped tree is a disfigured tree. Even with its regrowth it never regains the grace and character of its species. The landscape and the community are robbed of a valuable asset.

8. Cost: To a worker with a saw, topping a tree is much easier than applying the skill and judgment needed for a good pruning. Therefore, topping may cost less in the short run. However, the true costs of topping are hidden. These include: reduced property value, the expense of removal and replacement if the tree dies, the loss of other trees and shrubs if they succumb to changed light conditions, the risk of liability from weakened branches, and increased future maintenance. For many, the real cost may come in the future payouts associated with court actions associated with life and property damage due to improper pruning practice not accepted within the scope of proper

Topping is the removal of main tree branches to stubs in either a straight across hedge type fashion or a complete de-limbing of the tree leaving only the main trunk of the tree. Topping or heading is generally intended to reduce the size of the tree. Some of the reasons trees are topped include the theory that the trees will grow better, growth of foliage into utility lines, interference with solar collectors or blocking a scenic view.

You can always tell after a tree has been topped. The tree looks like an ugly stub, a hat rack some would say, and just a remnant of a once lovely tree.

When you can’t wait to get started in the spring garden, a good task to undertake is pruning. Most trees and shrubs benefit from annual pruning. It keep them in shape, gets rid of dead and diseased wood and encourages new growth. But not all trees and shrubs should be pruned early, especially some of the flowering ones.

Early spring bloomers set their flower buds the fall before. Pruning them early in the spring would mean losing some blossoms and is one of the most common answers to “Why don’t my plants bloom?. Most of the time this is not what you want. However there are exceptions. It’s often easier to prune when you can see the shape of the plant, before the branches are masked by leaves. Trees and shrubs that are in need of a good shaping could sacrifice a few blooms to be invigorated by a spring pruning.

Wind in trees does more than rustle leaves. The gentle breezes, prevailing winds, and cyclonic occurrences that arise from daily and seasonal changes in solar heating all affect the growth, form, and very survival of trees. Arborists need to be aware of the impact of wind on trees because it affects the quality of nursery stock and subsequent growth of trees planted in the landscape. Wind is an important factor that should be considered when selecting the right tree for a planting site.

But be cautious when tiptoeing through wet soil after a rain. You don’t want to compact the soil and squeeze out oxygen.

Also keep your eyes peeled for frost. Move tender tropicals and succulents under a patio or eaves for protection. When temperatures are dropping and skies are clear, you may want to throw a sheet over pricey tropical plants that can’t be moved.

If it hasn’t rained, pay attention to drought, especially in the dry areas under house eaves and large trees. Cold is one condition a plant must endure, but cold combined with drought can prove too much for some plants.

Sharpen your shovels and pruners, tune up power tools, feed the birds and keep their water source topped-up and fresh.

Many flowering plants and most vegetables are annual plants, living only a year at most, but usually just one season. Annuals to plant in our mild winter weather are ageratum, alyssum, calendulas, lobelia, nasturtiums, pansies, poppies, verbena and wildflowers.